Regenerated cellulose tubing and method for making the same



April 1943- P. D. MASSOLINE 2,315,804

REGENERAT ED CELLULOS E TUBING, AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME FiledAug. 9, 1941 INVENTOR PETE/E 0. M75500:

ATTORNEYS t Patented Apr. 6, 1943 UNITED STATES PAT EN orncaasomaa-rsn'f omunosn 'ruanvo AND ms rnon roa sumo rna samn Peter D.Massoline, Jersey our, N. 1.

Application August 9,1941, Serial No. man? scum. (Cl.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in decorativeregenerated cellulose tubing. as for example "Cellophane" tubing, and

an improved method for making the same.

It is to be .understood whenever. in describing and claiming the presentinvention, the word "tubing" -is used herein it is not to be read'in thecommonly accepted sense thereof but is meant to indicate the. productresulting. from twisting or curling each'of-the side edges of a lengthof regenerated cellulose tap'e until the rolled edges meet.

"Cellophane tubing is employed in many and varied decorative schemesandin the manufac- .ture of ornamental novelties such for example asChristmas wreaths, miniature Christmas trees, as a background for fooddisplays, as a packing medium in gift boxes and the like. Heretofore.

plain smooth surface unscored "Cellophane tubing has been employed forsuch purposes.

The principal object of the present invention is to produce "Cellophane?tubing having an irregularly crimped surface which is highly ornamentaland decorative and whose light reflecting properties are superior tothat of plain smooth surface tubing. vided which in forming thetubing-produces permanent, irregular, obliquely disposed crimping orscoring along the length thereof, resultingin the attainment of a tubingwith a novel and striking surface having unique light reflecting To thisend a method is proproperties similar to the light reflection given bythe facets of a diamond.

In the annexed drawing of a bodiment of the invention: Fig. 1 is aperspective view of a complete apparatus employed in making the improveddecorative regenerated cellulose tubing of the prespreferred ementinvention;

Fig. 2 is a'sectional view showing in detail the forming and crimpingdevice of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the small end of the forming and crimpingdevice of Fig. 2,

showing the front end of its crimping flange;

Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of two forms which a length of thenovel, crease-marked tubing may take; and s Fig. 6 illustrates theappearance of a section of the finished tubing of Fig. 4 unrolled andreturned to substantially its initial ribbon form to show the irregularscoring or crimping.

In general, the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is.

a modified conventional tubing machine such as is employed in themanufacture of cloth tub-f ing for artificial flower stems and the likeand it feeder reels '2 rotatably mounted in spaced relationship upon acommon shaft 6, a plurality of guide pins 3, aheated die 4 havingaplurality of equidistant, transverse, funnel-like, openings lltherethrough, in each of which is located one of the conical forming andcrimping devices 8, a source of heat for die 4 such as a gas flame Iland a drum I to receive the. finished tubing,-all supported on a base-I and having appropriate drum driving mechanism, not shown, such as anelectric motor, adapted to slowly rotate the winding drum. If desired,the feeder reels 2 may, ofcourse, be supported on a base separate fromthat supp rting the rest of the apparatus.

In the method of the present invention, the free end I of each of theCe1lophane ribbon reels 2 is drawn between a'pair of guide pins 3 intoone 'of novel, heated, conical-shaped. i'ormh ing and crimpingdevices 8shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 8 and which hereinafter will be referredto.asacrimper.

Thelarge end'of crimper 8 is provided with *a hooked portion 8 adaptedto slide over and enjust sufilcient space between its loweredge and thelower-inner surface of the crimper to snugly receive therebetween theparticular thickness of "Cellophane tape or ribbon which is beingfabricated into tubing.

As will be evident from examination of Figs. 2 and 3, the horizontaldistance between either side of flange l2 and the adjacent inner surfaceof crimper 8 gradually decreases as the small or apex end of the crimperis approached.

'Now,'as the flat Cellophane" ribbon I is drawnthrough heated crimper 8by the finished tubing to which it is attached (and which itself isbeing slowly wound on the rotating drum IS) the gradually decreasingdiameter of the inside of the crimper causes each of the side edges ofthe ribbon to continuously curl or twist upwardly against the inside ofthe'crimper wall and then downwardly against the side of the flange l 2(as shown in Fig. 3) until the full width of the initially flat ribbonor tape has been accommodated in the confined spaces on either side ofthe flange I! by comprises a plurality of Cellophane ribbon the twistingor curling action. As a result, a more or less tubular form is acquiredby the tape.

As the tape is drawn past that portion of heated ilange H which isadjacent the small or apex end of crimper 8, the friction therebetween,while not great enough to cut the tape or ribbon or to cause it to breakfrom the finished tubing being wound on the drum 5, is suillcient tocause a surface strain along the length oi the ribbon at the line ofcontact with heated flange I2 resulting in the formation, oi irregularcrease markings or crimping I 4 extending diagonally, out from and v oneither side of said line of contact. These irregular striations orcrimps H are shown in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. a

After the tubing has emerged from the small end of crimper 8, it ispulled through the smaller diametered end I 5 of heated die 4 where itis further decreased in diameter and where the action of the heateliminates any tendency which the tubing might have to unroll and springback to its initial ribbon form. -;Subsequent exposure to the .air as itemerges from heated die 4 permanently sets or fixes the form and surfacemarkings which the tubing has acquired in passing through crimpers I anddie I I.

2. Decorative tubing comprising regenerated cellulose tape having itsedges curled until the rolled edgesmeet'and having its surface.pennanently, irregularly diagonally crimped.

' 3. The method of manufacturing decorative crimped tubing from a lengthof regenerative cellulose tape which comprises. simultaneously curlingin the presence of heat, each or the edges of said tape until saidcurled edges meetwhile producing a continuous lengthwise strain alongand within the central area of said tape of such a nature that thesurface of said tape acquires permane'nt irregular and oppositelydisposed diagonal crimps', and then permitting said tubing to cool. v

PE'I'ER' D. MASSOLINE.

